International news channel France 24 was hit by a 24 hour strike on Thursday.
Unions said more than 60 per cent of journalists and technicians supported the action. They were protesting over long working hours amid claims the broadcaster had reneged on a 2015 agreement on staffing.
There are also ongoing concerns about the Openmedia newsroom software and the organisation of the newsroom in general, particularly relating to the Arabic service, which the union described as “fussy”.
“This day of crisis reveals a deep uneasiness and highlights the discrepancy between what management sees and the reality that employees experience on a daily basis,” the CFTC union said in a statement, warning that Thursday’s action was only the first step.
Unions had told management in a meeting last Friday that they were prepared to take action. A three-hour emergency meeting on Monday evening failed to resolve the crisis and no further talks are planned.
France Médias Monde, the group in charge of French international broadcasting services, said it would consider a reorganiation of the newsroom, adding most of the union’s concerns had already been dealt with.
